HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you enter them into the search window. If a compound term doesn’t appear in the drop-down list, try entering the term into the search window and then hit the search button (instead of the “enter” key). Alternatively, begin searches for compound terms with a quotation mark.

THE USAGE PANEL

The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. The Panelists are surveyed annually to gauge the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?

a. Any of the distinct parts of the face, as the eyes, nose, or mouth.

b. oftenfeaturesThe overall appearance of the face or its parts.

2. A prominent or distinctive part, quality, or characteristic:a feature of one's personality; a feature of the landscape.

3. Linguistics

a. A property of linguistic units or forms:Nasality is a phonological feature.

b. In generative linguistics, any of various abstract entities that specify or combine to specify phonological, morphological, semantic, and syntactic properties of linguistic forms and that act as the targets of linguistic rules and operations.

4.

a. The main film presentation at a theater.

b. A long, narrative movie, typically lasting more than one hour.

5. A special attraction at an entertainment.

6. A prominent or special article, story, or department in a newspaper or periodical.

7. An item advertised or offered as particularly attractive or as an inducement:a washing machine with many features.

8. Archaic

a. Outward appearance; form or shape.

b. Physical beauty.

tr.v.fea·tured, fea·tur·ing, fea·tures

1. To give special attention to; display, publicize, or make prominent.

2. To have or include as a prominent part or characteristic:The play featured two well-known actors.

3. To depict or outline the features of.

4. InformalTo picture mentally; imagine:Can you feature her in that hat?